Venezuela’s current economic and political situation is the largest humanitarian crisis in the western hemisphere with almost 5 million people displaced.
While the challenges are immense, The Wayuu Taya Foundation strives to make life better by bringing food, access to health, access to education to the most vulnerable, in localities along the border between Venezuela and Colombia. The indigenous population have the least access to infrastructure and are the most vulnerable in the country. In many areas there is no access to water, no electrical, gas, or sewage systems, which has resulted in a proliferation of disease, malnutrition, and viruses. Yet the population remains incredibly resilient. The Foundation continues its activities despite the difficult political economic climate.
Last year, in collaboration with Frank Giustra, Acceso, Giustra Foundation, Chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen Foundation, Aid Live Foundation and The Clinton Foundation, Wayúu Taya started the implementation of a weekly food program aimed at Wayuu community. A total of 29 schools, 18 and 8 Institutions including 3 Elderly Centers from this region are served, covering a total of 14.500 people with minimal resources.
Thousands of medicines and hygiene kitts have been distributed around Venezuela thanks to the Foundation’s friends and Partners.
These actions have had very concrete benefits for the communities:
1. Increase in class attendance by students as they receive 1 to 2 plates of food daily.
2. Reduction of cases of malnutrition in schools and communities benefiting from humanitarian aid.
3. Slower diaspora of Wayuu families to Colombia, since the main factor causing displacement to another country is the lack of food and medicine.
4. More than 1 million meals have been prepared during these months.
5. Permanent nutrition assessment sessions have been carried out where numerous cases of extreme malnutrition were detected in children between the ages of 6 months to 3 years old.
We’re excited to announce that we have been awarded a grant from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) to support The Wayuu Taya Foundation’s Recovery & Rebuild Program.
The grant it's improving access to food, water and sanitation, and livelihoods for the most vulnerable communities in the indigenous region along the northern Venezuela-Colombia border. CDP support will allow Wayuu Taya to more than triple the number of beneficiaries it serves. In the face of the recent coronavirus pandemic, this program will provide increased critical support to the target population by reducing cases of extreme malnutrition in the area and providing potable water.